This loss feels like a welcome home

He hissed softly, remembering her injuries. Loosening his grip on her shoulder as she tapped his paw commandingly. He turned until he could look into her mossy eyes, and see the swirls painted above one, and the scars that crisscrossed the other. His and injured by a hand he could not fault. He brushed a paw lightly against the scarring skin. She was beautiful, injuries and all. In another life.

In this one, he had given himself wholly and completely to Zee. He had nothing left to give Tamsyn, and he would give her no promises made to be broken.

Instead, he took her attempt at humor and offered her a smile. “Selfish bastard, you’ve got that right - but you're just as selfish as I am. That grit is why I'm still alive. I owe you a debt for that.” Now that he had decided to live, he owed her his life.

"Speech"